Unofficial Christ's Hospital Forum

How terrible!

I knew both - what a wonderful example of the best of British youth! Rob was down in Truro recently talking to young people. He was an inspiration to old and young alike. He will be much missed.

As Josh says, however, we must celebrate their achievements and rejoice that their short lives were not wasted.

My daughter saw the news on tv earlier and told me. She's going back to CH later and she said it will certainly be a sad start to the new term for the staff and current pupils who were very proud of their achievements. She said there will be a silence in chapel service for them. I'm sure there will be hundreds of sad but immensely proud staff and pupils in chapel.

My thoughts are with both families, such a tragic thing but they were both such wonderful young men!!!! Rob's sister Louise was my year at CH

What a terrible tragedy.

I didn't know him but it is awful when young people are killed.

RIP and God Bless.

I am a member of a football forum and I referred to this tragedy in an attempt to get some perspective on Charlton's poor performance yesterday.

Another poster replied that Rob had spoken at his school and he was privileged to meet him, shake him by the hand and found him an inspiration and a really nice bloke.

Not a bad legacy to leave.

RIP Rob. I never had the honour to know you personally but we are all linked by the school. My sincere condolences to your family and friends.

What terrible news. Just came across it by chance on the BBC news website; although no names were mentioned at the time, it was unmistakeably Rob. My thoughts are with his nearest and dearest. It won't console them at all of their loss but at least his family are aware how many people are affected by this and how many lives he touched.

Hello, My name is Richard Gurner and I'm a reporter with The Argus newspaper.
We are running a tribute piece to Rob and James in Monday's paper. If you would like to share your memories of them with us and pay tribute to them with a few words, please call me on 01273 544531.
Our condolences.

We are holding the press on the Old Blue so that we can include something on James and Rob. Please encourage those that have CH anecdotes on them to send them in asap.
Thanks
Editor

Rip
At least they were doing something they loved

My sincere condolences to family and friends.

He certainly lived life to the full.
My condolences to his family.
Maggie

I once met James Atkinson in what was the old CH Club Room, while it was set up as the nerve centre for James Hooper's and Rob Gauntlett's 180 degrees expedition, but I know of other West Sussex Old Blues who met and supported both the Rob and James Everest and 180 degrees expeditions. These are/were all inspirational young men and that CH was their alma mater seems to be appropriate. The trouble is, with the dreadful news today, I can't stop crying. What a waste of such inspirational lives (even if they were doing what they wanted to do). I've Kate Atkinson's face in my head at the moment, and I just don't know what to say to her.

A short news report on ITV News at 17:10 hrs.

Apparently, they both fell to their death on Mont Blanc.

Tragic.

It was a huge shock to hear the news about James and Rob, I still can't quite believe what's happened. My thoughts are with both families and everyone who knew them. I'm hoping that the school might consider holding a service for Old Blues to come and pay tribute, it would be a lovely thing to do at a place where we knew them both.